Weather trend: Unsettled with some rain at first, then trending drier and a little warmer

While Atlantic weather fronts will retain some influence on our weather into early next week, there are signals for high pressure to become more dominant again towards the end of the month.

Thursday and Friday this week look set to be rather cloudy and wet for many parts of the island of Ireland as a new weather fronts arrives.

Meanwhile, further to the east, most of the UK should see a good deal of dry weather, with some early morning mist and fog in places, followed by some bright or sunny spells on both days.

As we head into the weekend, new weather fronts will once again bring some more changeable conditions to western and northern parts in particular, so keep an eye on your local forecast there.

High pressure building over the nearby continent should keep those rain clouds away from southern and eastern England, however, and this high pressure influence looks set to become even more dominant early next week.

While details are still somewhat uncertain at this stage, models seem to be in good agreement that we could see mainly dry and bright weather towards the end of the month.

There will be a slow, but steady warming trend as well, with above-average temperatures at times, particularly in the southern half of the UK.

Rain chances should remain rather low into early May as well, though the south and southwest of the UK and Ireland could eventually see some slightly more unsettled and showery conditions later on.